Road bike disc brake Black Friday: discounts

Complete kit, caliper only or disc: what does each offer contain?

Three types of products are available here. Hydraulic kits combine a gear and brake lever, a hose and a caliper that are already connected: Shimano 105 R7020, Ultegra R8020 or GRX400, Sram Apex, Rival, Force and Red. The calipers alone connect to existing levers, such as the TRP Spyre, which are fully mechanical, or the TRP HY/RD, cable-operated but hydraulic at the caliper. Finally, Shimano discs are sold separately. Some mountain bike brakes, Sram Code or Maven and Shimano Deore XT, are controlled by a flat handlebar lever: they are not suitable for a road bike.

Before ordering: points to check on your bike

• The lever: a dual-control kit must have the same number of speeds as your transmission, 11 for the 105 R7020 and Ultegra R8020, 10 for the GRX400. With cable levers, stick to a mechanical or semi-hydraulic caliper.
• The mounting: recent disc road frames mostly use Flat Mount, while mountain bikes use Post Mount. The caliper must match.
• The fluid: mineral oil for Shimano and TRP, DOT 5.1 fluid for road brakes Sram. A lever and caliper from two different systems cannot be combined.
• The disc: diameter accepted by the caliper and the frame, then hub fastening, six bolts or Center Lock.

Discounts on disc brakes: compare like for like

The same model comes in different versions that are not interchangeable. A front brake receives a short hose, 950 or 1,100 mm on the Sram references in the selection, while a rear brake has a hose close to 2,000 mm: the label indicates the position. Also check the side of the lever, left or right, and the contents, as some Sram calipers are sold without a disc or adapter. For Shimano, the ST-R7025 lever is the short-stroke version of the ST-R7020, designed for small hands. The RT-EM300 disc features the speed sensor magnet for Shimano Steps electric bikes and mounts only at the rear. Therefore, a crossed-out price should only be compared between two identical versions: compare the displayed price of one kit with that of another front kit with equal hose and lever side, and check that a lower-priced caliper does not come without its disc.

Useful pages to complete your braking

Outside of operations, the page for road disc brakes outlines the choice between hydraulic and mechanical and the disc diameters all year round. During Black Friday, road brake pads can refresh a worn caliper, brake levers can replace a damaged control, and the selection all practices broadens the choice. For an off-road bike, see the mountain bike disc brakes. Outside Black Friday, clearance items go to clearance.

Sram, Shimano and TRP: the brands in the selection

Sram offers its hydraulic road brakes in Flat Mount, from Apex to Red, and also provides the BB7 Road, a mechanical caliper where each pad is adjusted by its own knob.

Shimano combines in its 105 kits the ST-R7020 or ST-R7025 lever and the BR-R7070 caliper, using mineral oil, and manufactures its discs with six bolts or in Center Lock, the grooved system that it developed.

TRP caters to cable levers: on its Spyre caliper, both pads move towards the disc, and the HY/RD converts cable pull into hydraulic pressure. Its Hylex RS lever is designed for road handlebars without gear controls.

Frequently asked questions

Hydraulic or mechanical disc brake on a road bike?

Hydraulic offers less effort and automatically compensates for pad wear, but requires hydraulic levers. Mechanical keeps your cable levers; you will need to move the pads closer as they wear down.

Why does my disc brake squeak?

Most often, chain lubricant or greasy fingers have contaminated the disc or pads. Clean the disc with isopropyl alcohol; soaked pads need replacing.

What diameter disc to choose at the front and rear?

On the road, 140 and 160 mm discs are the most common. The larger one dissipates heat better and is often placed at the front, which provides the bulk of braking, within the limits set by the bike's manufacturer.

Should a new hydraulic brake be bled?

A bled kit can be installed without opening the circuit if the hose is of the correct length. Shortening it or disconnecting it to route through the frame lets air in: plan for a bleed with the fluid specified by the manufacturer.

When do Black Friday discounts on brakes occur?

The main event remains a Friday, the one following Thanksgiving Thursday in the United States, marking the start of the holiday shopping season. At Vélo-Store, discounts on road disc brakes do not stop on that day: they run throughout November.